Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a method for magnetic resonance imaging with a music-based gradient curve, as well as a magnetic resonance apparatus and to a non-transitory, computer-readable data storage medium encoded with programming instructions for implementing such a method.
Description of the Prior Art
In a magnetic resonance apparatus, also called a magnetic resonance tomography system, the body of an examination person, in particular a patient, to be examined is conventionally exposed to a relatively high basic magnetic field, for example of 1.5 or 3 or 7 tesla, generated by a basic field magnet. In addition, gradient switching operations are employed with the operation of a gradient coil unit. Radio-frequency pulses, for example excitation pulses, are then emitted by a radio-frequency antenna unit by having suitable antennas, and this leads to the nuclear spins of specific atoms being excited in a resonant manner by these radio-frequency pulses, so as to be tilted by a defined flip angle with respect to the magnetic field lines of the basic magnetic field. When the nuclear spins relax, radio-frequency signals, known as magnetic resonance signals, are emitted by the spins, which are received by suitable radio-frequency antennas and then processed further. The desired image data are reconstructed from the raw data acquired in this way.
For a specific measurement (MR data acquisition) a specific magnetic resonance sequence, also called a pulse sequence, is emitted that includes a sequence of radio-frequency pulses, such as excitation pulses and refocusing pulses, and appropriate gradient switching operations that are executed in a coordinated manner along respective gradient axes in respective directions. At an appropriate time coordinated therewith, readout windows are set, which specify the durations in which the induced magnetic resonance signals are detected.
It is known to control a magnetic resonance apparatus (scanner) such that, during acquisition of magnetic resonance image data, gradient switching operations generate a sequence of notes by operation of a gradient coil. This sequence of notes can be perceived as traditional music by an examination object, from whom the magnetic resonance image data are being acquired. Patient comfort during acquisition of the magnetic resonance image data can be increased in this way.